The present invention relates generally to welding systems, and particularly to a welding system having a welding gun.
Welding is a method of joining pieces of metal together into one solid piece. Welding guns are used in a number of different types of welding. An arc welding system typically comprises an electric power supply coupled to an electrode. Welding guns are used to direct the electrode to the appropriate spot on the material to be welded. A conductive cable and a clamp for securing the conductive cable to the metal piece to be welded provide a return path to the electric power supply. The electrode in the welding gun, along with the metal piece and conductive cable, completes an electrical circuit with the power supply when the electrode is placed against the metal piece. The contact between the electrode and the metal piece produces an electric arc between the electrode and the metal piece. The heat of the electric arc is concentrated on the metal piece, or pieces, to be joined. The arc melts the metal piece, or pieces, in the vicinity of the point of contact. A filler material may be added to the molten metal. As the electrode is moved, the molten mass behind the electrode cools and solidifies.
MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is one type of arc welding. MIG welding is also referred to as xe2x80x9cwire-feedxe2x80x9d or GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding). In MIG welding, a metal wire is used as the electrode to produce the arc. The weld area and the wire are shielded by an inert gas and the metal wire acts as the filler for the weld. The inert gas is used to shield the electric arc and the heated metal of the workpiece from outside contaminants and gases that may react with the weld.
Typically, the wire and gas are fed through a hand-held welding gun. The wire and gas are fed to the welding gun from a wire feeder. The wire feeder is, in turn, coupled to a power source and a source of gas, such as a gas cylinder. The welding gun is used to direct the wire and gas to a desired location for welding. The welding gun, typically, has a switch, or trigger, that is coupled to the wire feeder. When the trigger is operated, gas and wire are fed through the gun from the wire feeder.
A typical welding gun has a handle, a cable, a trigger, and a neck. Wire, gas, or flux are directed to the workpiece through the cable, handle, and neck. A user grips the handle and positions the handle so that the wire, gas, or flux are directed to the desired location when the trigger is operated. However, different users have different preferences when it comes to holding the welding handle and operating the trigger. For example, some users may prefer operating the trigger with their index finger, while others prefer operating the trigger with their thumb or the palm of their hand.
However, current welding guns do not have the flexibility to enable a user to configure a welding gun to their own ergonomic preferences. For example, current welding guns do not enable a user to change the orientation of the trigger to the welding handle. There exists then a need for a welding handle that enables a user to configure a welding gun for the user""s own ergonomic preferences.
The present technique provides a handle, welding gun, welding system, and method of assembly of a welding gun designed to respond to such needs. According to one aspect of the present technique, a welding system also is featured. The system may be a MIG welding system, or some other type of welding system. The welding system features a power source and a welding gun coupleable to the power source. The welding gun has a handle. The handle has a first end that is operable to receive the cable from a first direction. The first end also is operable to secure the cable to the handle. The handle also has a second end that is opposite to the first end. As with the first end, the second end is operable to receive the cable from a second direction and to secure the cable to the handle. The welding system may comprise a wire feeder to feed electrode wire to the welding gun.
A welding system also is featured, according to another aspect of the present technique. The system may be a MIG welding system, or some other type of welding system. The welding system features a power source and a cable coupleable to a welding gun from the power source. The welding gun has a handle. The handle has a first end and a second end. The handle increases in cross-sectional area from a gripping portion located between the first and second ends in each direction towards the first and second ends.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a welding handle kit is featured. The welding handle kit enables an existing welding system to be configured with a welding handle adapted according to other aspects of the present technique described herein.